What Not To Do When Planning An Event

Planning event is hard work, and there are lots of things you need to remember. You have probably got lots of tips on how to run your event, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? If you neglect to do certain things suddenly your day can become extremely stressful. If you are new to planning events then here are some things you should avoid doing.

Not Invite Enough People

Always make sure you have a long enough contact list. You should invite a lot more people than you need, because not everyone will be able to attend and some won’t even reply. For example if you want to get 100 people then send out at least 200 invitations. According to a recent article in Wikihow it is " important to sit down with a cup of coffee before hand and actually figure out what event it is you are planning and what you would like the outcome to be."

Forget To Send Out Information

You need to make sure your guests have all the information they need for the event, beforehand. Send out information well in advance of your event so that people know how to get there, what to expect and what to bring.

Pick The Same Date As Another Big Event

Research the date of your event, don't organise it on the same day as other competitors events. Also think about key dates when your audience might be busy such as the summer holidays when a lot of people are away. According to event's company BeEventHire "Choosing your date is one of the most important parts of planning an event so make sure you think about it carefully."

Choose Inconvenient Timings

Think about the timings of your event. If people are having to travel far then don't make it start too early or finish too late.

Not Use A Booking System

Use an online booking system like Eventbrite which limits the number of people that can register for the event so you don't have to start turning people down if too many sign up. If you don’t do this you could have to turn away a lot of angry people.

Make It Difficult To Register

No one will come to your event if they find it difficult to register. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be. Use a simple form and make sure everything is working properly before the tickets go live.

Not Allow Enough Set Up Time

Setting up on the day will always take longer than you think. Don’t give yourself a small window of set up time because you will probably overrun. The last thing you want is your event starting late because you failed to set up on time.

Choose A Venue Without Wheelchair Access

Make sure your venue is wheelchair accessible so that everyone who wants to come to the event can. Check with venues when you are doing your research to see whether or not they have wheelchair access.

Forget To Ask About Dietary Requirements

Always ask your delegates if they have any special requirements or dietary requirements (if providing food).

Get The Timings Wrong

Make sure you have thought through the timings of the programme. If you are in a large venue and your delegates are travelling between rooms for workshops then factor these timings into your programme

Fail To Welcome Guests

Welcoming your guests is an essential part of any event. Try and make your guests feel welcome as soon as they walk in the door.